


I like your shoelaces

by TaJaDorPorn1227



Category: Kamen Rider OOO
Genre: M/M, Red String of Fate AU, chiyoko is ankh's adoptive mom, oc poly trio - Freeform, side dategotou but not enough to tag it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-07
Updated: 2017-04-07
Packaged: 2018-10-14 23:15:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10545988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TaJaDorPorn1227/pseuds/TaJaDorPorn1227
Summary: People get to see their red strings anytime from a few days to weeks after meeting their romantic soulmates. The same tends to go for platonic soulmates, although those may take longer to form.Seers have the (usually) genetic ability to see others' strings as soon as they begin to form. The ability to see blue strings is almost as common as the ability to see red. The ability to see purple, or both at once, is extremely rare.Hino Eiji is a wandering Red String Seer traveling from town to town with his childhood best friend Shintaro Gotou. He has guided countless others towards their own flourishing relationships, but never expected to find his own....and definitely NOT with such an asshole.





	1. Count the Strings, One Two and Three!

**Author's Note:**

> This is a birthday gift to my hero, Yasuko Kobayashi, head screenwriter for Kamen Rider OOO. Thanks to The-Ultimate-Nobody for the chapter title and Mage for encouragement along the way.
> 
> 火野 映司 誕生日、おめでとう。
> 
> Please tell me if I have made a mistake here! Thank you!
> 
> Ankh trying to flirt: You owe me money  
> Eiji: HOLY SHIT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eiji and Gotou meet people. The 4-day speed date bet is made. Ends partway through Day 4, before The Drama truly begins

World explanation (scroll to where it stops being bolded text if u want to skip this):

 

**Romantic soulmate=Red String.**

**Platonic soulmate=Blue String.**

**Red strings take a shorter time to appear, even to the people who have them, than Blue ones. Seers specializing in one of these types can see them instantly, *snaps fingrs* like THAT. The average time for Red Strings to form is 1 week to 3 months, the average time for Blue Strings to form is 1 month to a year. I don't remember the world records for them off the top of my head.**  
  
**Anyway, the String appears once the people get to know each other. Polyamorous people can have more than one Red String, Aromantics can just have Blue Strings, etc. Anyone with an unwanted Red String can just block themselves off emotionally from that person and it will fade, etc.**  
  
**I mentioned earlier how being a Seer is genetic, though I'm not sure about Purple Seers, because the last one was 800 years ago. Her freedom with love and sexuality, unprecedented in those times, set a sort of precedent for people today. Her fame as a Seer was with seeing Blue and Red Strings, as well as the famed "Purple Strings" which meant the two connected by them could be romantic AND platonic soulmates. They are seen in modern times by groups of Red and Blue Seers who both agree that they see a Red or Blue String connecting two people.**  
  
**Due to the prevalence of non-Seers claiming the title, popular culture views them all as fakes. There have been movies about fake Red Seers sabotaging relationships or setting someone up with the wrong person, or movies about Red Seers sacrificing their Red Strings to let their soulmate have the relationship they always wanted.**  
  
**As always in this love and lust-driven world, Blue String Seers are sidelined and ignored. There are hardly any movies about them, and their business is nearly nonexistent. Eiji's friend from high school, Tsukuba, is a Blue Seer. He sends anyone looking for a Blue Seer Tsukuba’s way, although Tsukuba is an amusement park planner first and a Blue Seer second. It’s not is main job the way it is with Eiji.**

 **Sometimes Seers get sleep-deprived or drunk and think they see different color Strings. How well their powers work is either directly or indirectly tied to their physiological and mental health.**  
  
**For petty annoyances like no lettuce on his sandwich, Eiji can focus just fine, but if he's trying to earn money to go to the funeral of a family member that just died, he probably wouldn't be doing too hot. Seers are mostly seen like fortunetellers or psychics, so Eiji's combining it with psychology and counseling is a rare trade skill.**  
  
  
  


Hino Eiji, Red String Seer, operated a traveling business. He toured the country, consulting with people in hotel rooms, over webcams, or in their own homes or hospital beds. His roommate and childhood best friend, Shintaro Gotou, was a traveling vigilante/musician searching for his own soulmate. The best part about their partnership was their honesty.

 

"No, she's not your soulmate either," Eiji said in a regretful tone on day one in the new city. Gotou had just met a kickass woman named Satonaka Erika while protecting a park from a massive monster, and was hoping she was the one. Eiji hated being the one to tell Gotou his relationships wouldn't be the best possible match, but if he didn't, some fraud would lead him on. They were everywhere, and Eiji had developed a test for them: "Who does _my_ thread lead to?"

 

The red string frauds would say someone outside the hotel, or downstairs. The more creative red phonies said Gotou. The blue seers, fakes or not, always said Gotou. Eiji couldn't deny that; they had been best friends since childhood.

 

The real red seers told him he didn't have one.

 

He was used to it, of course, but part of the reason he traveled was to meet lots of people in the hope of finding a red soulmate.

 

"Well, let me know if you see any red strings," Gotou said, taking a sip of his smoothie. They were at a local cafe/restaurant, the Cous Coussier, and it was blindingly bright outside, but Eiji didn't mind. He wore sunglasses sometimes so he wouldn't get overwhelmed by all the strings he saw.

 

He had only seen a blue string once in his life, and that was after his favorite client, Chiaki Koyama and her two signifs, Ikue Naito and Aoi Furahara, had returned for follow-up counseling. Chiaki was worried that her two red string partners would not accept each other as part of the trio, and Eiji had suggested earlier to encourage them to spend time together. But after Chiaki, Naito, and Aoi walked into his room and negotiated seating on the couch, he saw Chiaki’s two red strings briefly turn purple and a blue string between her gf and datemate appear.

 

After Aoi and Naito told him about how their relationships had progressed, Eiji explained that his surprise at their strings wasn't a bad sign - it was a sign of a platonic bond so strong, even a Red Seer could see it. And it remained throughout the session, too.

 

He only told Chiaki about the two purple strings that turned back to red, because he didn't want the "purple publicity" to wreck his career. She thankfully agreed to keep it a secret, and kept in touch, often with fancy e-cards or detailed emails. The latest one Eiji reread often showed Chiaki’s family had adopted kids and a fluffy shiba inu!

 

Not all of his clients were such a brilliant example of success. Many teens told him he was a fraud when he said they didn't have a red string the day after they talked to their crushes. Some of his clients didn't follow his relationship advice, believing that since they were soulmates the relationship didn't need maintenance just like everybody else's.

 

Still, he kept hope that everyone who wanted one would find their romantic or platonic soulmate.

 

"Here you go, ice cream for you!" Hina, their waitress, winked. She handed them both ice creams, as Gotou tilted his head inquisitively. "It's hot outside," she said by way of explanation, and Eiji thanked her, grabbing one.

 

"Tch. Don't spoil the newcomers, Hina." A man dressed in a punk shirt and skinny red pants called from the door. "Chiyoko-san will hear about this."

 

"Let her," Hina challenged. "She made up the rule. But _you_ weren't paying attention - you were sitting on the roof like a loser. Someday you'll fall off, and then we'll all _laugh!_ " She stomped inside. The man glared at them both, then followed her.

 

"Did you see-"

 

"Gotou, it's common sense that she hates him." Eiji murmured. He's on break, after all. He nibbled at the ice cream. "Will you try to meet with Satonaka-san again?"

 

"Nah, I think I'll do what I can here." In addition to being a vigilante, Gotou also was a musician. "What'll you do tonight?"

 

"I dunno, maybe explore this city a bit." Eiji took another bite of his ice cream. "I had an appointment, but they wanted a Blue String Seer instead."

 

"Who'd you send them to?" Gotou took a bite, squinting in the midday sun. Eiji stretched his arms above his head.

 

"Tsukuba-san."

 

"Of course." Gotou nodded. Tsukuba had been their upperclassman in middle school, when Eiji's seeing powers had gotten particularly strong. He was one of the five people in their school who actually had some kind of sight. One of their classmates prone to practical jokes had claimed to see 'grey strings' or enmity, but there was no reliable evidence those existed.

 

"Do you need anything else?" Hina asked, interrupting their reverie. Eiji took out some money, but Gotou shook his head. The musician took out a much higher denomination of money than was needed. Hina waved him off. "The ice creams are free-"

 

"It's a tip." Gotou said. "Thank you for your service." In all likelihood, she would be paying for the ice cream herself. After Hina left, Gotou leaned over to Eiji. "My treat, in hopes that I'll find my soulmate tonight."

 

Eiji snorted. "The day you find your soulmate is the day I become a Purple Seer." The last one had lived over 800 years ago, and everyone and their mother claimed to be a descendant of her. Eiji's parents - politicians - included.

 

"Still, I can't help but try," Gotou said, getting a faraway look in his eyes that wasn't just the blinding sun. They were under an umbrella, but it was the kind of day where the light reflected off of _everything_ so the air itself was a haze of brightness.

 

"Good luck," Eiji murmured, watching his roommate leave. He wanted to enjoy a few more minutes in the sun without having to navigate the complex world of people and their strings.

 

He'd first seen the Red Strings connecting people when he was five and visiting his friend's house. Their parents had responded to his "What's that?" with "What's what, Eiji-kun?" in the patient way parents have, before he traced it in the air. It had connected their ring fingers.

 

Since their relationship was a particularly strong one that most people could see, they called in a couple who had a faint bond. Still, it was unmistakable to Eiji, and his parents were overjoyed to hear about his power when it was time to go home.

 

Eiji had _never_ seen any red thread connecting them.

 

He had also been too embarrassed to let them brag about it on tv, although they mentioned their relation to the last Purple Seer a lot. They later instituted a law for testing Seers in hopes of finding a Purple Seer, something he'd gotten a lot of flack for in school. _If you see three purple strings, you could be a purple seer._ Tsukuba's younger sister had stopped by the local knitting shop: "I must be a Purple Seer!" She would not be the first or last to make that joke.

 

Growing up, Eiji had found that while he could find people's romantic soulmates for them, he couldn't keep the couples together with his powers alone. He'd scoured countless advice columns, read through blogs and tabloids only to find the answers were simple: communication, respect, and trust. These held true for every strong relationship he helped to build.

 

He jumped up abruptly as the angry man from before bumped into the door with a heavy cooler. Eiji stood up to help him carry it outside, but the man barely had a hold of it from holding the door open too. Eiji reached over to take it.

 

"Here, let me-" "I _have_ it!" The cooler collapsed, spilling ice, water, ice creams, and soda onto the patio.

 

The man glared at him. "What the _fuck_ was that for?"

 

"I just thought you needed help-"

 

"I said I got it, weren't you listening, dumbass? You're paying for it." He glared at Eiji, who pulled a few miserable bills from his pocket.

 

"How much more does it cost?"

 

"Hmm… let's see… at least two hundred more." The man smirked. "You'd better pay up, or get that man to help you."

 

"No." Eiji considered the cost of traveling to the next hotel and how much he had left over. He didn't have nearly enough.

 

"Hey, are you listening to me?" The man waved a hand in front of Eiji, startling him out of his thoughts. "Oi!"

 

Eiji caught his hand in midair with his own left hand. "Will you just quit i-" He gasped, recognizing the red string forming around his and the man's wrists even though they had just met. "W _HAT THE FUCK."_

 

The blond tilted his head to leer at Eiji. "What's the matter?"

 

"No, no, this can't be happening." Eiji glanced around desperately. There must be some way to stop it. He couldn't possibly become soulmates with someone who was _such a jerk_.

 

 _Evasive tactics can destroy the flourishing bond between you_ , he remembered telling a client. _In other words,_ ** _avoid_** **_them_** **_at_** **_all_** **_costs_** _._ He ran away into the stifling heat, chanting, "It can't form if you never meet again, people can have multiple red strings over the course of a lifetime."

 

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?!?" The man shouted, bumping into a police investigator. "That man knocked over a cooler full of drinks and refused to pay for them." The detective nodded and ran after Eiji. "Hey! Wait up!!!"

 

Eiji ran down the street, past a baseball game, through the park, through a fountain to cool off he was clothed the entire time, and into a mall, where he faked out the one cop, but got cornered by some other cops. One of them had a red string, and he grinned. "I'm sure your partner would _love_ to hear all about your tiring day chasing around poor, sweaty Seers," he told them, them slid between their legs on the polished tile floor and ran for the nearest store.

 

Thankfully it was one with a fursuited mascot, whom he switched out with in one of the fitting rooms. The officers ran past him, not suspecting a thing. He had to stand at the front of the store and wave and do all the chants the mascot did, for five hours. Then the store was about to close, so he changed into another mascot outfit and made a dash for the mall doors.

 

He dropped the fursuit gradually, because he couldn't get it all off at once, but once it was off, he ran to the woods in the park. There, hopefully he would be able to lose the police and mall guards. He arrived at a lake, where two people were connected by a red string. One was driving, the other was jetskiing. He stripped down to his boxers, hid his clothes under the bush, and swam along the shaded edge of the lake.

 

To where? He didn't know. But it was dark out when he got back to shore. He kept away from the houses, not wanting to scare everyone. He walked back to the hotel in his underwear, soaked and shivering. When he got to the hotel, he called Gotou.

 

"Eiji-kun, I met a person tonight and-"

 

"Please, Gotou-kun, bring a change of clothes outside the hotel. It's urgent."

 

"Ok, hold on."

 

Ten minutes later, Gotou held a pair of worn pants and a colorful shirt out to Eiji and stood in front of him while he changed. When he was done, they returned to their hotel room.

 

"What the hell happened to you?" Gotou asked, leading the way back to the apartment. "Ah, I ran into a bit of trouble. It's nothing big. You were saying you met someone?"

 

Gotou gave him a Look before explaining. "His name is Date Akira, and he helped me fight off some gang that was tormenting some teenagers. He's a doctor in his free time, and he listens to rock…" Eiji blinked as a blur of red crossed his vision. He nodded as Gotou listed off some bands he'd be listening to that night. He saw the red end at Gotou, but blinked and it was gone.

 

"It sounds like you've met quite the character," Eiji said when they got to the apartment. As soon as he got inside, he showered and put on the warmest sweater he could find.

 

Gotou nodded, opening up his laptop to listen to more music as Eiji got into bed. "What time's your first appointment tomorrow?"

 

Eiji yawned, opening up his phone. He'd said yesterday that he didn't usually take clients so early, but the girl had persisted. Now, he thought back to the debt he now owed and decided he couldn't be choosy.

 

"Seven."

 

Gotou nodded. "I'll set my alarm for you."

 

"Thanks. I'll set an alarm, too."

 

They did _not_ want to repeat one of the rookie mistakes from early in Eiji's career. He'd overslept, and was so frazzled by that fact that when he finally met with the client, he'd read their situation completely wrong.

 

Still, everyone needs that one bad Yelp review to help them improve.

 

He decided, before he fell asleep, that he'd pay off the cooler so that Gotou wouldn't even have to worry about it.

 

-

 

After a meeting with

  * a bi teenage girl who wanted to ask her crush out
  * a construction worker in his late forties interested in the cute architect in the apartment across from his
  * a businessman trying to figure out how to propose
  * two women whom he'd met with in the last town, who had been on their first date
  * a disabled teenage boy who liked a girl in his algebra class



Eiji counted up his earnings. It wasn't nearly enough. He checked all his accounts, scheduled a few more meetings, then listened to Gotou ramble about his day with Date Akira. They were going on a _date_ tomorrow.

 

"I'm glad," Eiji said, pouring them both soda into plastic cups. "Cheers! To your new soulmate!"

 

Gotou paused mid-clunk to stare at Eiji. "Seriously?"

 

"Yeah, it's right there. Even tired, I can see it." Eiji grinned. "I'm so happy for you!"

 

"Thank you. Now all that's left is for you to find _your_ soulmate… Eiji-kun?"

 

Eiji was staring out the window at the darkening landscape of the city in the evening. He thought of the angry man in red skinny jeans and sighed. He didn't want to tell Gotou about that asshole, or that he'd gotten his Red String first.

 

"Yeah, it's time for me to find a soulmate," Eiji agreed with a sigh.

 

-

 

The next few days passed similarly to the second one. Eiji was up from sunrise to sunset meeting with people and talking to them about their personal lives. On the sixth morning, Gotou looked at him with dark circles under his eyes and muttering questions despite being half-asleep.

 

"Cancel everything today."

 

"Eh?"

 

"Cancel everything, you're overworking yourself. Today you're going to _relax_."

 

"But, Gotou-kun-"

 

"No buts. My decision is final."

 

The customers weren't happy about it, but Eiji apologized and gave them coupons for another two free meetings. He was aware of what it would cost him, but he was far too tired to care.

 

He and Gotou went to karaoke, where he finally met the elusive Date Akira. They sang, drank, talked, then walked home. On the way, Date dragged them all into the Cous Coussier, insisting they try the menu.

 

"Hello, Date-san!" Chiyoko, the owner, called. "Are these your friends?"

 

Eiji glanced around for Ankh while Date introduced him and Gotou. He smiled and greeted Chiyoko and Hina, then relaxed as they sat down at a round table and began to talk.

 

"Date-san, I had no idea you knew these people! You should've told me a week ago!"

 

"Sorry, Chiyoko-san, but I didn't know them a week ago." Date glanced at Eiji. "I just met him today."

 

The banter continued like this, and Eiji was glad to watch the others like this for a bit--before an arm around his shoulder trapped him where he was. "Where's my money, jackass?" Ankh murmured in his ear, low enough so only Eiji could hear.

 

"S-sorry! I'll get it to you, I swear-" Eiji yelped, and the others turned to look at him.

 

"I see you've already met my son, Ankh-chan," Chiyoko laughed. "He's quite a grump at first, but when you get to know him-"

 

" _Mom,_ " Ankh gritted his teeth. Hina laughed, but Gotou was staring at Eiji.

 

"What is that?"

 

He pointed a shaking finger at the red string between them.

 

-

 

"I'm a Seer, certified by the Association of Red String Seers," Eiji explained. "I wasn't running from the money, I was trying to avoid _you_."

 

"Tch. Seers are all fake. I bet you're trying to lead me on," Ankh sneered.

 

"Was that why you showed up at the apartment with only underpants and your phone that night?" Gotou asked. Eiji blushed, nodding.

 

"Wooow," Date exclaimed, looking at Eiji in a new light. "How far would you go to kill this Red String of yours?"

 

Eiji opened his mouth to explain, but found no words. "I… don't know." At the other side of the table, Chiyoko was chastising her son. "Were you trying to trick customers out of Ice Cream money again? You know I'm trying to get you to make friends-"

 

"Stop trying," Ankh muttered.

 

"-But blackmailing your own soulmate?"

 

"He's a sorcerer creating an illusion to guilt-trip me."

 

"Shiraishi Ankh, what kind of a house have I raised you in?" Chiyoko pinched his ear, dragging him over to Eiji. "You will apologize to your soulmate right away."

 

Ankh glared as he bowed stiffly. "I'm sorry. For tricking you into paying for the ice cream."

 

"There, that's better."

 

"You filthy, lying Seer!"

 

"Ankh! What's gotten into you?" Chiyoko demanded.

 

"I won't be soulmates with some random Seer!"

 

"Ankh-"

 

"Have you even _tRIED???"_ Eiji asked, his voice breaking at the last word. He stared around at the shocked group around him. "Sorry," he murmured. It must have been the sake.

 

"Have you even tried?" he asked, forlornly slumping as he realized Ankh wouldn't want to.

 

"That sounds like a _great_ idea," Hina interrupted with a smirk as she pinched Ankh's ear. "Especially after _that Event_ which caused him to sulk on the roof and eat all the ice cream."

 

"They don't need to know that!" Ankh roared, trying to pry her grip from his ear. " _Especially_ not that!"

 

"How long are you two staying here?" Hina asked Gotou. He counted it up in his head. "Eight more days."

 

"Perfect! Why don't you two go on dates each day for the next four days, then you can continue on with your lives if you don't feel a connection?" Hina suggested brightly.

 

"That sounds like a great idea!" Chiyoko exclaimed, clapping her hands. "I look forward to hearing all about your date each day!"

 

Eiji was astounded. He couldn't think of anything more perfect if he'd tried. He nodded. "I agree to try it," he murmured, looking at Ankh the whole time.

 

Ankh, glaring daggers, nodded too. "I'll try it out, _Dumbass._ "

 

"Now exchange numbers so you don't have any excuses~" Chiyoko sang.

 

-

 

Eiji woke up to a horde of angry customers' voicemails, and one angry blond's curt message:

_I found out where your apartment is from Mr. Serious. Prepare yourself._

 

He was about to call Ankh back to ask what he meant when the apartment door opened. Someone walked in with a tray.

 

He learned rapidly that person was Ankh, and the contents of his tray were very, very cold. And _wet_.

 

He shrieked.

 

"AAAHHHH,GOTOU-KUN HELP! WHAT IS THIS???"

 

Ankh snickered. "This is your wake-up call, Idiot."

 

"Wha- how did you even _get_ this???" Eiji danced painfully away from the bed, shaking ice from his clothes.

 

"I ordered it from your room."

 

"Y- _how?_ "

 

An even bigger smirk. "Mr. Serious let me in, told me he was going on his own date, and left."

 

"So you-" Eiji fell quiet, trying to decide if he was angry or not. Ankh tilted his head. Eiji walked over to him calmly, picked him up he was light, and dropped him in the pile of ice.

 

"You fucker! I'll get you for that!" Ankh called, grabbing handfuls of ice and stuffing them down the back of Eiji's shirt.

 

"Oh ye- _eeeeeek! That's_ **_cold!_ ** _"_ Eiji hollered, grabbing fistfuls of the watery solid and throwing them at Ankh.

 

Ankh gave him a scandalized glare and began shoveling handfuls of ice right back at him. He pulled Eiji down with him among the chilly pieces of ice and dumped the entire contents of his shirt on him. Giggling, Eiji put his hands up. "All right, I give, I'm awake." He thought he saw Ankh grinning back, but he looked away with a scowl.

 

Eiji sat up. "We need to clean up this ice before it melts all over the floor."

 

Ankh shrugged. "Your hotel, your problem." He ambled over to the window to look out at the morning city, leaving Eiji to scoop up pieces of ice and put them back in the bowl. Once that was done, he took a towel from the bathroom and spread it all over the wet spot on the bed and floor. When it was soaked, he hung it up to dry and opened the windows. With a couple old fans going, the place would be dry in no time.

 

Ankh had wandered over to the bathroom and was taking off his shirt. Eiji stopped short when he realized what he was doing. "Ankh… you just can't shower in someone else's apartment!" he said nervously.

 

"And why not?" the blond challenged, dropping his soaked shirt and working on the zipper to his jeans. "It'll help me get to know you better. Besides, isn't this what lovers do? Show up at your apartment, get you wet, shower, and leave smelling like you?" He stepped out of his skinny jeans, turned, and smirked at Eiji's expression. "Mr. Serious told me to give you time to reschedule your 'clients.' You're welcome." He closed the bathroom door and the sound of water running began.

 

Eiji was left ruminating about the skinny boi. Ankh held himself like the ruler of the Known Universe, but he reportedly sat on the roof away from others… why?

 

He took his shirt off. He might not be able to shower just yet, but he can let himself dry off a bit. He settled down with his phone to reschedule his flurry of annoyed customers. By the time he was done, Ankh had stepped out of the shower and had wrapped a towel around his waist.

 

"Which shampoo was yours?" he asked, posing with one hip up and one hip down. Eiji looked up and got a blush. "Um… the taller bottle, why?"

 

Ankh cackled. "I thought so." He sauntered closer. "Now I can go home and say that I've fucked you." He took a good look at Eiji. "I have to admit, you'd make a good fuck-"

 

"If you want to turn this into a one-night stand, go right ahead," Eiji said, standing up and heading towards the bathroom. "But your ear will suffer the consequences." Before he got to the door, he pointed to his bag of clothes. "You can borrow an outfit if you want." He closed the door after him.

 

-

 

He wasn't really sure why they were there, of all places, but all in all the Kougami Art & History Museum wasn't a bad place to be. The place was mostly air-conditioned, except for the gardens exposed to the elements, and people with Red Strings usually stuck close by each other. Ankh and Eiji included.

 

"Where are we going?" He asked for the nth time of the blond leading him by the hand through the museum. Paintings, sculptures, and lovely fountains were scorned for Ankh's destination. Once again, Ankh's only answer was to squeeze his hand tighter.

 

They rounded a corner and arrived at the giant, 10-meter-tall relief. It was carved into clay, and restored so that its vibrant colors were brought to life under the judging glare of the spotlights. Eiji squeezed Ankh's hand back.

 

The upper right parts showed tiny silver (raindrops?) collecting to form five figures: a red bird, a yellow cat, a green bug, a blue fish, and a silver rhino. This was, as the placard claimed, "The Birth of the Greeed."

 

The lower right part involved the red bird holding hands with a crowned figure. This was "Ankh's Betrayal."

 

"Wow, Ankh, the red one has the same name as-"

 

"Chiyoko named me after her favorite legend. I know. It's lame." Ankh snarled, turning away.

 

"I think it's cool," Eiji offered.

 

"That's 'cause you're lamer," Ankh said, turning away.

 

The upper left parts involved the green and yellow monsters, along with the same "raindrops" and with two humans. One Greeed was tossing a raindrop at the human, and the other was watching a human and their evil clone. This one was "Feeding the Greeed."

 

The lower left section showed the blue and grey monsters holding out colored dots. This was "The Power of Core Medals."

 

The middle motif, or the part in greatest detail that was larger than the others, showed the crowned figure blazing in glorious power. The monsters around him, particularly the red one, were cowering. The red one bled a trail of raindrops. It was "The King's Betrayal."

 

"Wooooww," Eiji gasped. "These are local legends?"

 

Ankh nodded. "Which one's your favorite?"

 

Eiji pointed to Ankh's Betrayal. Ankh went quiet for a moment, then returned to normal. "Tch, of course you'd pick that one."

 

"Which one's _your_ favorite?"

 

With a scowl, Ankh pointed to the same sculpture.

 

-

 

They went to the park after that. Eiji bought them both ice creams when the afternoon sun wasn't as fierce, and the people were beginning to come back outside with water bottles and bicycles and impromptu ball games. They sat under the gazebo until it was dark, watching the people around them. Ankh pointed out various kids who had been to the Cous Coussier.

 

Then he admitted -under the soft glow of the lamplight, as the kids had mostly gone home and the teens went to cram school- that he was adopted. Eiji was quiet for a few moments, quiet enough for him to take it as an offense. "What, are you judging me too?"

 

"No… how do _you_ feel about it?"

 

Ankh snorted. "Quite the counselor as always. Boy, you sure do like to keep up an act."

 

Eiji sighed in exhaustion, and Ankh rolled his eyes. "It's not any worse than being raised by my actual parents. They're in jail."

 

Eiji nodded. "I'm sorry about that."

 

"Don't be, you didn't get them started with their lives of crime." He was silent for a few moments. "Chiyoko's scared I'll do the same."

 

"You're here with me. That has to count for something."

 

"Does it?" Ankh looked at him with wonder in his eyes. Eiji nodded.

 

"My clothes look good on you," he said, looking at the colorful shirt and loose pants and scarf Ankh had chosen.

 

"Of course. _I'd_ look even better on you," Ankh said. He looked over to see Eiji's blush. After a while, Eiji returned to the original topic.

 

"My parents are politicians."

 

Ankh stared at him suddenly. "... _Those_ Hinos!"

 

"The very same," Eiji murmured. Ankh elbowed him. "What?"

 

"Maybe if you show me your _Purple Seer_ powers I'll actually fall in love with you!" he snarked.

 

"Yeah," Eiji murmured, sighing. He'd heard every variation of that joke already.

 

"That was _high humor_ , I'll have you know." Ankh insisted with a snooty frown. "So why didn't you laugh?"

 

"I've heard every edition of that joke imaginable, even foreign variants." Eiji said with another sigh. "You'd have to make up a better one to impress _me._ "

 

"Oooh, the aristocrat has refined taste?" Ankh gasped, clutching his chest with the hand the Red String was tied to. "Too good for a commoner like me, huh?"

 

"Let's make a bet. If you can get me to laugh, I'll kiss you." Eiji teased, elbowing him back. "What's wrong? It's just your soulmate on the line, not your precious… _ice cream_." He giggled.

 

"And if I don't make you laugh? What do I get from you?" Ankh demanded, squinting in mock suspicion.

 

"Anything, as long as you don't steal my lunch," Eiji replied.

 

"I want you to sing for me."

 

"What song?"

 

"I… haven't decided yet," he said, turning away. "But a kiss also sounds nice."

 

Eiji walked him back to the Cous Coussier, but Ankh ended up walking _him_ to the hotel instead, because Eiji still didn't know his way around the city. Chiyoko smiled when she saw Ankh wearing Eiji's clothes.

 

-

 

Ankh woke up at the crack of dawn to Eiji staring at him. "Go away."

 

"I had no idea you slept up here! First the roof and now this? You must like high places," Eiji teased. Ankh burrowed further under his red blanket on top of a couch stacked on a table. "Go away."

 

"We have a date today."

 

"I don't want to. Go away."

 

"We're leaving in half an hour. I'll be waiting until then."

 

"I don't want to go!" Ankh shouted after him. Eiji left the room, looking on his phone for something.

 

Twenty minutes later, Ankh appeared downstairs with his signature skinny jeans, his hair perfectly curled on one side, braided and flattened on the other. "How much hair product do you _use?_ " Eiji asked, as Ankh grabbed breakfast.

 

"Enough," came the scathing reply.

 

Chiyoko beamed at Eiji as she pinched her son's cheeks. "He always buys a lot at the store." She drew Eiji aside. "Do you have something to eat?"

 

"Um, no, but I was going to buy something on the way there. It's fine, really…" Chiyoko was packing him a bento box anyways - an extra large one.

 

"He _likes_ you," she murmured. "He might not say, but I can tell. Instead of a 'total disaster' he called your date yesterday 'barely acceptable.'"

 

Eiji raised his eyebrows and took the box with thanks. "I suppose that's Ankh for you."

 

"Mmm, yeah, it is. He hasn't been this excited since his last boyfriend-"

 

Ankh clanged down his plate on the counter beside them. "I can hear _every_ word you idiots are saying." He spun on his heel with a scowl, then paused. "Quit stalling and take me on a date, damnit." He left the Cous Coussier with a dramatic door slam.

 

"Thank you! We'll be back tonight!" Eiji called to Chiyoko, waving to Hina as he left.

 

-

 

Ankh wanted to sit on the bus between two people with a red string, but Eiji was adamant to avoid that omen of bad luck. "Ankh, we're not sitting here," he insisted, tugging on his sleeve and pulling him a few seats back.

 

"Why the hell not? It's a perfectly good window seat."

 

"It makes me uneasy."

 

"...... _Fine_ , but I get the window seat at wherever we move to." Ankh got up with a huff.

 

"So, have you thought about our contest?" Eiji asked as they sat down at the new seat behind the estranged lover. Ankh glared at him.

 

"Of course. I can't _wait_ for it to be over."

 

"That's too bad, I was hoping you'd come up with a good pun," Eiji murmured. Ankh made an effort to stare out the window.

 

"...You meant _that_ competition."

 

"Yeah. Do you want to hear every version of it?"

 

"Not really." He stared out the window some more. "Where are we going?"

 

Eiji grinned. "It's a surprise."

 

-

 

With a lot of bickering, they got off the bus at the city's pride and architectural joy - an office building that let the people tour its top floor observation deck. Ankh snorted once he saw it. "I've already been here."

 

"Good." Eiji said, grinning at him with determination. "You can show me around, then."

 

Ankh showed him the ticket booth, the elevator and stairs, and the grand Banquet Hall. They raced each other to the elevator and pushed each other out of the way to be first. The other passengers stared at them. Eiji wondered if it was their energy, or if their Red String was visible, or both. He didn't care, though, because the second those two elevator doors opened, he and Ankh _bolted_ for the nearest pair of binoculars.

 

Ankh won, just narrowly. "Hah! That'll show _you_ how these pants aren't just good-looking!" Eiji tilted his head.

 

"True, but that doesn't get you any closer to that pun kiss."

 

"Oh fuck off, that will be my reward for winning this race." Ankh crossed his arms, staring into the distance. Eiji closed his eyes and leaned towards him. ".....What the _fuck_ are you doing?"

 

"You wanted a kiss, right? Here's one." Eiji opened his eyes, confused.

 

"I didn't say I wanted one _right now, Idiot!!!_ " Ankh was red in the face, possibly from embarrassment. He looked away from Eiji. "Maybe later."

 

Eiji nodded, putting coins in the machine so Ankh could look out at everything. "Hey, there's the museum. That's the park." He pointed at tiny, faraway places.

 

"I can't see those!" Eiji laughed. "Let me see." Ankh pointed the binoculars just so and let Eiji look through them. He stayed near him, watching Eiji look at the city he called home.

 

"Wow… there's so many places here! Is that the museum?" he stepped back, letting Ankh shift the binoculars again.

 

"Here's the park by the mall, the one you ran towards when you first saw…"

 

He stood off to the side, a bit more coldly now. Eiji noticed it, but didn't comment on it. "If I really zoom, I can still see the pieces of fursuit I left behind."

 

Ankh looked at him sidelong. "You **_WHAT?_ ** **_"_ **

 

"I had to switch places with a store's mascot to escape mall security."

 

Ankh's eyebrows, if it was even possible, lifted even higher.

 

"You must have been desperate."

 

Eiji laughed. "Well, you were an asshole."

 

"Excuse you, I am a highly-ranked Asshole. I graduated from The Academy of Asses with _honors_."

 

Eiji giggled. "I wouldn't have guessed. Your hair's too pretty for that."

 

"Assholes have to be in the finest style, you know. I wouldn't expect a prep like _you_ to understand." Ankh sniggered. He pulled Eiji over to another part of the observation deck, picking up a pair of cheap tourist binoculars.

 

"And there," he murmured, peering around until he found what he was looking for, "is the Cous Coussier."

 

He held out the binoculars and Eiji took them. "I can only see a tall building."

 

"That's the building where I live," Ankh said proudly.

 

Eiji smiled as he looked at it.

 

-

 

They ate their lunch by the beach, where lots of others crowded the sand near the water. Eiji was happy to watch them, preferring to avoid crowds because they had so many Strings among them. Ankh ate most of his portion of food, leaving the rest for Eiji.

 

They went to the park and threw grapes for the ducks to eat, since bread actually wasn't healthy for them. After that, they went window-shopping.

 

-

 

When the evening came, the lights turned on, and Eiji took them back to the beach. Someone had started a campfire and was roasting food like that. They sat together by the fire, laughing and talking with the others. Eventually, the stars came out-a few were visible against the sky-and the other people trailed away to towels and blankets to stargaze.

 

Eiji nudged Ankh. "Do you want me to kiss you?"

 

He stared at him. "I haven't even tried to make a pun."

 

Eiji laughed. "Just being here with you is good enough: it makes me smile."

 

Ankh stared at him in unfiltered shock. He looked at his hand, the one tying them together. "I… _suppose_ we could."

 

"Yay!" Eiji smiled, reaching for him. He went too fast and knocked their foreheads together.

 

"Ouch! You're killing the mood," Ankh grumbled. "Slow down, like this." He cupped Eiji's cheek, tracing his jaw with his fingers. His brown eyes seemed purposeful, he leaned in closer, closer…

 

Their lips met and it was a bit weird at first. Eiji didn't know what to do, but Ankh pulled him closer, wrapping an arm around him. He slowly relaxed, as Ankh's tongue coaxed him to open his mouth. It was so new, but he felt right at home. Ankh's eyelids were somewhat narrowed, and the faint blush on his cheeks encouraged Eiji to press harder against him.

 

"Hey? What are you playing at?" Ankh demanded, his lips red after pulling away. "Come here," he said more gently, because Eiji was new to this. "Actually, stay there," he muttered, climbing into Eiji's lap, wrapping his legs salaciously around Eiji's waist.

 

He laughed at Eiji's shocked expression. "Don't worry, we don't have to have sex if you don't want to. Sex on the beach is far sandier than the movies let you believe."

 

Eiji was so red, he might have spontaneously combusted on the spot. Ankh kissed his nose gently. "We don't have to have sex at all, either. We can just make out here and no one would know."

 

"Sh-shut up and kiss me, Idiot," Eiji murmured, and kissed him. He ran his hands through Ankh's hair. It really _was_ as soft as it looked. Ankh held his cheeks tenderly when he kissed. After a few closed-mouthed kisses, Ankh gently led him to open up his lips. He did so, running one hand down Ankh's side… far lower than he'd dared earlier.

 

"You like this?" Ankh asked with a breathless grin the next time they parted for breath.

 

"Yes, absolutely-" he gasped, reaching out as Ankh eagerly pushed him back. "Hey!"

 

"Relax," Ankh murmured with a deep voice that _screamed_ seduction. "We're just kissing, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't _enjoy it_. If you don't mind, I'll mimic you." He nodded at Eiji's hands on his hips.

 

Eiji nodded, letting Ankh push him back into the sand. His body was silhouetted from the fire, his eyes reflected the stars. He was warm and alive and touched Eiji with the gentlest hands. He kissed as if his whole life depended on it, but was content to let Eiji explore.

 

It was the best thing ever until Gotou called. "Hold on, Ankh," Eiji murmured, taking his phone from his pocket.

 

"Eiji, I don't know where the fuck you are, but I'm going to sleep in half an hour. Hope you remembered your hotel key this time."

 

"Yeah, we're uh… _somewhere…_ I can just sleep in an Ikea if I can't get back into the hotel. See you tomorrow. Thanks, Gotou-kun."

 

Ankh was staring at him with that look Eiji couldn't read. "Do you have your hotel key?"

 

"Yeah, it's right…" With a sinking feeling, he remembered how he'd left it on the desk that morning. "Gone."

 

Ankh stood up, offering his hand while brushing sand off his pants. "Let's go."

 

"Wait, where are you- Ankh, I have to get back in half an hour or-"

 

Ankh pulled him up and twirled him like they were ballroom dancing. He held his hands, leaning in so their faces nearly touched. "My _dearest_ Hino, have you lost your way? Look no further than the humble abode of this commoner."

 

"Eh? You… want me to stay at your house?" Eiji guessed, trying not to fall over.

 

"That's right," Ankh answered, spinning him around so their hands are no longer entangled. "It's an offer for a _sleepover._ My treat."

 

"Ankh," he murmured. "I'd love to."

 

-

 

He snuggled up in some spare clothes in Ankh's guest bed, grateful for the old blanket. It felt more like a _home_ than the hotel blankets, although they were warmer.

 

"Remember, I'm a dick when I'm tired. If you want something, you'll have to wake me up for it," Ankh told him, climbing up into his bed. He'd refused to give Eiji's outfit back, even though it had been washed.

 

Eiji tried to get warm, but there was always something about a new bed the first night he'd slept in it… maybe it smelled old and dusty, maybe its sheets crackled with nonuse, maybe he couldn't find the right spot to lay down on the mattress. He shifted his position a few times, and ended up curled in a tiny ball at the top of the big bed. He was Cold.

 

He was awake, Ankh had turned his back to him and had presumably fallen asleep. There was nothing left to do but try to sleep. Except that breathing, not even the breathing across the room from him was Gotou's. It was all new and there was no way to make himself fall asleep.

 

He let out a sigh, thinking about his life that had led up to this point. He'd gotten a soulmate, Gotou had gotten a soulmate… he wasn't sure if any of them would stay together, but he'd say they all stood a chance. They'd _have_ to stand a chance.

 

Helping others was good, because the problems he faced if other relationships fell through weren't entirely his to bear. On the flipside, if either of them slipped up…

 

Sad show marathons and ice cream for _weeks._

 

He rolled over again, and Ankh looked over with a sigh. "You can just admit you can't sleep, I won't bite your head off."

 

Eiji inhaled; he'd been quite startled by Ankh looking at him. "Fine. I'm cold," he murmured, pulling the blankets up to his chin.

 

Ankh got out of bed, pulling his blanket with him. He spread it over Eiji's bed, then stared down at him.

 

"What do you want?" Eiji asked, dazed.

 

"Let me in. I'll warm you up." His voice was soft, from the nighttime, and he sounded tired. Eiji scooted over, lifting up the covers. Ankh climbed in, pulling him into his arms. He left one arm under Eiji's neck and pulled the blankets back over them before hugging him with the other.

 

"Go to sleep, Eiji," he murmured as Eiji shifted again. "I'll be here to wake you up."

 

-

 

He woke up to Ankh pushing something in his face. "Mmmhhh?"

 

"Answer it."

 

That ringtone was Gotou's. He forced his eyes open, opened it and sat up. "Hello?"

 

Ankh tried to pull him back down.

 

"Eiji? Did you sleep outside again?"

 

"No, I'm with Ankh."

 

"Did you make Ankh sleep outside with you?"

 

"No, I'm at his house."

 

"Does Chiyoko-san know?" Eiji squeaked as Ankh tickled him and dropped his phone.

 

"Dear Gotou-chan~ please fuck off and let me sleep," Ankh growled. In the background, Date laughed. "Why is _he_ with you?"

 

"Ankh, let me-" Ankh turned around so Eiji couldn't take his phone back.

 

"Uh-huh… I see. It's like _that_." He was smirking. Eiji leaned against him, frustrated. "Ankh-"

 

"Yeah, he can be. Not that _I_ would know," he laughed. Eiji sat up, wrapping an arm around Ankh's middle and pressing his lips to his neck. "Anyway, enjoy jacking each other off!" He hung up, making a soft surprised noise. "What, do you want to do the same as them?"

 

"N-no," Eiji murmured, reaching for his hand. "I want my phone back."

 

"Fine. It's at 10% battery anyways," Ankh said. "Just to warn you."

 

Eiji turned it off, groaning. "I don't want to get up."

 

"Well, stay there, because I'm getting up."

 

"Please stay with me." Eiji pleaded. He reached out for him, but Ankh twisted out of his grasp.

 

"If you want me to stay with you, maybe consider dating me for longer than 4 days. I know you didn't suspect me of being one, but I actually think dedication's important."

 

He left the room.

 

He _was_ a dick while tired, but… Eiji felt he was speaking from the heart.

 

-

 

They watched some movie after breakfast and stopping by the apartment to get Eiji's charger. It was a science fiction/horror/mystery movie, and the cast was pretty good. Then they went to everywhere in the city Ankh knew: stores, schools, restaurants. They bought lunch at a cafe and ate it with their legs dangling off a bridge. They went to the fountains in the park to escape the heat.

 

In the evening, Ankh led Eiji to an old building. "Ankh… where are we going?"

 

Ankh turned to stare at him, then turned around and kept walking. Eiji followed him up the fire escape, through a smashed window, and up the stairs onto the roof.

 

From there, Ankh could observe everything going on in the city. Eiji walked hesitantly over to him. They watched in silence, then Ankh began speaking softly.

 

"I don't hate you for being a Seer. I think they're all fakes. They lie to you for money and it took me a long time to accept that my ex had broken up with me." He was looking away, scared of what he was doing. "I have no beef with you, but Seers should all stop being such shams and fakes."

 

"I see. You went to a fraud Seer, who told you about a Red String that didn't exist."

 

"Fuck you! They weren't a fake!!! They were just as real as you or me!" He glared at him. "You're so soft and full of compassion. You find too much _good_ in things. Sometimes I'm amazed we're even soulmates."

 

Eiji nodded. "You're a bit rude at times, a complete dick at others… but I liked kissing you and spending time with you."

 

Ankh kept staring at the city. "That's… good to know."

 

Was it Eiji's imagination, or did his voice quaver slightly?

 

-

 

That night, Eiji slept back at the hotel. He and Gotou had a 5-minute conversation to plan out the next day, then went to bed. Eiji thought he saw a blue thread connecting them, but he was stressed by the whole Ankh thing. It might have been a hallucination.

 

-

 

The next morning, Chiyoko insisted on a party for the conclusion of the 4-day speed-dating trial. Ankh was still asleep, apparently, so would he and Gotou like to come over?

 

He said yes. Of course he said yes. The Red String enticed him to.

 

When they got there, Ankh was still asleep. Eiji was sent up to wake him up. He found Ankh sitting on the floor, his eyeliner runny and his cheeks puffy and red. "Ankh?"

 

He scowled. "How did you get here?"

 

"Chiyoko-san sent me."

 

"I already told her I'd be taking a 'me day', now go away."

 

"I will, but she'll ban you from ice cream if you don't get up." Two can play _that_ obnoxious game.

 

"Fine," Ankh groaned, wiping his eyes and smudging his eyeliner. He left wordlessly.

 

-

  
  
  
  


The meal was wonderful, with a theme inspired by the foods of Bhutan, a small country near India. Throughout it, Ankh was edgy and nervous. When Chiyoko gave a toast to him and Eiji, he stood up.

  
"I'm not becoming soulmates with a Seer who's going to love me one week, then leave me the next. You need to make a decision."

 

"Ankh-"

 

"Ankh," Eiji murmured, standing up, too. "This isn't the time-"

 

"Then _when will be?_ Today? Tomorrow? Once you're already thousands of miles away and I'm left with your outfit and heartache? _When_ , Eiji?"

 

"You know what? I haven't given it as much thought as that decision deserves."

 

"That's because it _doesn't_ mean anything to you!"

 

"That's not true- _Ankh!_ " Eiji ran after him as he rushed over to the stairs, into his room, over to the window. "Where are you going?"  
  
Ankh gave him a look. "I can't be around you anymore. I can't be swept in by your lies. I can't let myself fall for you anymore." He picked his hand off the windowsill, pushing it back at him. "So leave me alone."

 

"Ankh, _WAIT!-"_ Eiji called, reaching for his hand as he went outside to sulk on the roof. "Wait…"

 

He gasped for air as their Red string turned purple. He must've sounded mortally wounded, because Ankh turned back around.

  
"What?"

 

Eiji pointed a shaking hand at the string connecting them. "I-I… _do you see that?_ "

 

"Eiji. That's our normal string. You know, the one you're using to trick me and break my heart."

 

Eiji collapsed to his knees. The string was still purple. "My career is over!" he exclaimed, his head in his hands. "There's no way I'm a Purple Seer…"

 

"Eiji. What the hell?" Ankh stepped closer, lifting his chin, curious. Eiji lifted his head, incredulously.

 

"You don't see it?" Ankh shook his head. "Our string turned _Purple_."

 

"If this is another trick…"

 

"I woiuldn't lie about this! The Purple Seer test is something Seeers take when they want to retire. Taking it early would be a career-ending move." He hung his head, resigned.

 

"Didn't that law say someone who's seen _three-_ "

 

"Three Purple Strings, yeah. That's true."

 

"But you've only seen…" He stared at Eiji in confusion.

 

"Two more, at a meeting with my favorite client."

 

Ankh stepped back to think this news over. Eiji took out his phone. "So, where's the nearest police station?" The search results showed him a map, and a line to his location. He began to stand up, stare awkwardly at Ankh looking for something to say, then leave, but Ankh interrupted.

 

"You don't have to take the Test. You could just continue as a Red Seer and no one would care," he murmured, barely audibly. "Just stay here, keep your career and life…"

 

Eiji picked up on the word "stay." He let out a sigh. It was a lot to think about.

  
"Ankh…" He couldn't get over how good that name sounded. "Ankh, I _have_ to take it. My parents created that law."


	2. Violets are Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bullshit bureaucracy and feelings happen. Backstories are told. The dramatically probable occurs. I love Chiaki and she's probably going to become a main character

"Eiji," Ankh pleaded. "You don't have to go. I don't want to-" he took a shuddering breath, "-be left behind by someone I love again."

 

"Ankh, I'm off to take the Purple String Test -to get my career destroyed. By the end of the night, I won't be a Seer anymore. That should help you feel at least a little better." Eiji smiled wanly.

 

"Eiji, stop this foolishness. That's your  _ job! _ You're… you're good at it, from what I could tell. You had a travel list planned out into next year-" Ankh gulped. So what if he had looked Eiji up one day and found his site??? He had to know what he was getting himself into. "That's your livelihood!"

 

Eiji smiled again, that horrible smile he made when he was trying to calm others down but about to sacrifice himself. "It  _ was _ ."

 

Every instinct screamed at Ankh not to let Eiji leave.

 

"Eiji, I'll tell you the whole story. I had a foreign boyfriend, his name was Oswald. We were in love, …..I was in love with him. We went to a Red Seer who told us we had a thread, I was overjoyed and Oswald was quiet. A few weeks later we got into a nasty fight and he told us that Seer was a fake, that we were never meant to be together." He sunk down to his knees. "I started hanging on the roof after that. Blamed Seers, blamed everyone except myself for thinking it was going to last," he whispered, glancing up at Eiji, who kneeled down to hold Ankh's hand with both of his. "All I wanted was someone to stay by my side."

 

"Ankh…" Eiji murmured.

 

"When I looked at your schedule I realized just how little time you spend in one place. You move around so much - with Gotou - it must be part of who you are. What if you didn't want to settle down with me? What if you moved on with your life without me??  _ Eiji……" _ Ankh whisper-cried softly. "I'm scared to fall for you completely."

 

"Ankh," Eiji murmured softly, kissing his tears away. "I'm not going to hurt you and I'm so sorry you had a broken heart. You don't have to worry about me leaving someone I've searched my whole life for." He knelt in front of Ankh, holding his hand carefully. "The reason I decided to travel around was so that I could meet a lot of people, and have a better chance of finding my soulmate. Now that I've met you and gotten to know you, there's no point in moving around anymore."

 

"Eiji…" Ankh murmured, leaning into him.

 

"Which is why I don't feel bad giving up that life to be with you." Eiji stood up. "I'll be back, Love."

 

"Eiji,  _ wait-" _ Ankh reached for him but Eiji was already gone.

 

-

 

Eiji went to the police station to fill out paperwork for the test.

 

One of the officers, Izumi Shingo, went over to intervene with him on Hina's behalf. He shook his head and remained where he was.

 

It was an all-day wait to sign up for the test. In order to account for schools and cram schools, and to give students a fair chance at taking the test too, it began at 10pm. He had quite a ways to go.

 

Gotou called. "Eiji, what is this bullshit? Why are you trying to quit your job?"

 

"Gotou… remember how I saw purple strings briefly when I met with Chiaki?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"I saw one more."

 

"Shit. Whose was it?"

 

"Mine and Ankh's."

 

"Damn. That's. That's powerful. Does he know?"

 

"I told him, but he was upset about something else. I don't know if he understands what that is, though."

 

There's a sound like the phone's being shifted, and barely distinct muttering. "Giv eme-!" " _ Shhhh! _ …..Would you like to talk to him?"

 

Eiji hummed after remembering Gotou couldn't see him nodding. "Mhm! I'd love to."

 

There's a scraping noise and after a couple seconds, a loud crunch. The sounds of Gotou's "Oi, be  _ careful!" _ in the distance and Ankh's grumbling were right at the edge of audible sounds. It's quite comforting to hear.

 

"Eiji," Ankh said. "Are you okay? Where are you?" He sounded like he had a head cold.

 

"I'm okay. We have to wait at the station to take the test, so I'm still here. The test hasn't started yet."

 

".....Have you had anything to eat?" Ankh asked.

 

"A little snack," Eiji murmured. "But nothing significant."

 

"Tch, running off without your breakfast, Eiji, what a bravoic fool you are. Stay there, I'm going to bring you food."

 

"Staying here's my plan," Eiji yawned, stretching out on the bench. "I might take a nap or something."

 

"You're an idiot." Ankh hung up.

 

-

 

Ankh showed up with food and tried to dissuade Eiji from taking the test. Eiji ate some food and fell asleep in his lap and Ankh blinked down at him. His words from before echoed in his mind as he watched Eiji sleep.

 

_ Eiji… I'm scared to fall for you completely. _

 

"You fool… you didn't need to destroy your own life to become a part of mine," he murmured. "I would have been happy to join you in your travels or have a ldr."

 

He looked at Eiji, held their string out above him with his hand. So this thing was the cause? Eiji had said it was purple. He squinted. It remained red.

 

He thought back to what that Red String Seer had told him about strings, years ago.  _ It takes time for your string to appear. _ He could see it, Eiji could see it, Chiyoko and Gotou and Hina and Date could see it. He no longer had to make excuses for why no one could see it because there it was, for all the world to see.

 

Eiji reached up to hold his hand. He squeezed reassuringly. "I'll be fine," he murmured. "Go home and sleep. 'S what I woke you up from this morning."

 

Ankh tilted his head and considered it. He shook his head. "I'm staying here with you."

 

-

 

It was evening.

 

Eiji kissed Ankh goodbye and walked in the door with the rest of the contestants. Finally, the test was set up. He was in a room with a few other Red Seers, and they weren't allowed to tell each other information. They were looking through a glass window on a crowd of people, and told to find who was connected by red strings.

 

It took a little while to distinguish between the strings, but eventually Eiji got to work identifying people. He zoomed his camera on one person, then drew a circle around them with his fingers. Then he zoomed on the other end of the red string and pressed the match button. It was easier when multiple red strings were connected to one person, because he could select them again.

 

They finished, and then the proctor went around telling people their results. One kid dramatically sank to his knees. The test-takers were shown to the next room, this time mostly people with blue strings. Eiji squinted. He saw one blue string very clearly, but for the rest he could just barely see the patches of blue. This time, he had to guess who the strings were attached to. He got his strings mixed up and answered a red string couple, and hoped that wouldn't affect his result.

 

Once the results were passed out, Eiji groaned. He got a just  _ barely _ passing grade. Then the group was taken to another observation corner and separated into different cubicles with viewfinders. Eiji touched his, his palms sweating. The proctor told them the five minute time limit began now, and left.

 

Eiji stared at the group of people, searching frantically. The strings blurred together before his eyes. He closed his eyes, feeling the sting of tears as he started to panic.

 

_ What if I'm just making this up? _ he wondered.  _ What if I'm not actually a Purple Seer like everyone thinks I am? _

 

_ He remembered asking Chiaki to stay late and asking her to  please not tell anyone what he was about to say. He remembered the look of fear in her eyes as he took a breath to steady himself. _

_ "No, it's not a bad thing. You and Aoi and Naito do truly have strings. It's just…" he took a breath. He knew if he got scared now, Chiaki wouldn't question it. He looked up. "Your soulmate bonds are actually much stronger than other people's. When Aoi and Naito were with you, I watched your two red strings… turn purple." _

_ Chiaki gasped, leaning forward. "You mean we're…?" _

_ Eiji smiled. "Yes. You're soulmates both platonically and romantically. I even saw a blue string between Aoi and Naito." _

_ "That's great news!" Chiaki giggled. "We truly were destined to be together." _

_ "Yes, you are. I'm not quite sure how to manage purple and blue string relationships, since I'm a red seer. But if I had to guess, I'd say keep up the communication, trust, and respect for each other. It's been wonderful watching you three grow together." _

_ "Aoi and Naito are my favorite people in the world," Chiaki said, a wistful gleam in her eyes. "We're just beginning to enjoy the life we made together. These purple strings aren't going to waste. For a red seer, you sure are willing to branch out. That, at least, deserves a tip." _

_ "I've never seen a blue string before - that was always Tsukuba's specialty. I don't want word getting out I've been backstabbing him by stealing his customers," Eiji joked back, pushing the money at her. She pushed it back. _

_ "You're lucky we don't have three purple strings," Chiaki told him, staring at him in worry. "If there had been one more, you'd have to take the Purple Seer exam." _

_ Eiji smiled brightly. "You'd better make sure Aoi and Naito don't go purple before I meet with you next. Get a lot of blue craft string and have them knit with only that color. That'll prevent them from turning Purple." _

_ "Duly noted, Seer." Chiaki kept a straight face through her sentence and burst out laughing. When she could breathe again, she asked, "Any other methods in case that doesn't work?" _

_ "Hm….." Eiji was temporarily stumped. "........Tomorrow's Underpants." _

 

He opened his eyes. He was Ankh's Purple Soulmate first and an underpants fanatic second. He could do this. He glanced down at his own wrist and found the purple loop, then smiled at it and looked out among the crowd of people. He saw red strings, a few lighter blue ones… and then his gaze landed on the two people connected by the purple thread.

 

He zoomed on one person with his viewpad, circling them in purple digital ink (the test sections were themed that way) and then zoomed on the other person. He circled them as well, tapping on the viewfinder nervously.

 

The seconds after that crawled by, until the proctor reappeared and announced the test was over.

 

Each person despaired as their result. Eiji could hardly stand to wait. His result came, and the proctor looked at him. "Follow me."

 

Glancing down at the word "C o r r e c t," Eiji scrambled to follow her down the hallway into a sparse room. A hospital gown was on the bed. "Change into that and press the button when you're done," the proctor said. She left and Eiji did so, regretfully parting with his underpants. He rang the button. The proctor returned, to lead him to a different testing room. This one had more cameras. He gulped.

 

"Find the Purple String, if there is one," the proctor told him. He nodded, turning to the sole viewfinder that was on. There was a new crowd of people, and they had so many strings, quite an array of relationships. He squinted, then reminded himself to relax.  _ The power doesn't come when you force it, _ he remembered telling Gotou one day.

 

He scanned the crowd again, lazily, almost carelessly this time, until he saw the purple strand he had sought. He zoomed in, selecting the two people who had it, and then his screen went blank.

 

"Your results will be evaluated. Follow me," the proctor told him. She led him back to the room, where he changed back into his clothes, and then waited. He had left his phone with the other contestants' before the exam began. He only wished he could tell Ankh there'd been a delay.

 

An hour passed, and still no sign of anyone coming to get him. He dozed, then woke up desperate to use the bathroom. He pressed the button from earlier, hoping they hadn't forgotten him.

 

A different proctor, dressed in the uniform of black shirt and khaki pants with a light blue scarf appeared. He asked Eiji to be patient.

 

"Please let me use the restroom while I am waiting," Eiji requested. He could see circles under this man's eyes and figured he didn't deserve rudeness.

 

"Sure, follow me." The man led him to a restroom, waited for Eiji outside, then led him back to the room. He watched Eiji yawn widely.

 

"Food will be sent to you," he said, and Eiji thanked him again before he left.

 

He returned with some peach cake and tea. Eiji ate as much as he could, considering his nerves, and turned to the proctor.

 

"What's going on? Why do I have to wait here? Can I have my phone back?"

 

"There was a fluke. You may have gotten the answers from someone else, so we had to ask you another question. The Councils of Red and Blue Seers are determining if your answer is correct." The man glared at him. "You may not have your phone back yet."

 

"Then please call the Cous Coussier and tell them Eiji said this: I am fine. I have been held up by bureaucracy. Please don't worry about me. Ankh... I love you."

 

The man nodded, then pressed some buttons on his headset. He paused for a while, then licked his lips. "I understand." He looked at Eiji with barely contained desire.

 

"The jury has decided: You are the first Purple Seer in over 800 years."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who ever could have seen that coming! It's a Russian chaos agent bingo game what I write at this point. Thanks for sticking around!

**Author's Note:**

> This one is about 400 words longer than my earliest work, Comin Up No's. Keep an eye out for an update to that one next!
> 
> Edit: Corrected a few problems, thanks to Kyofushitrio for pointing them out!


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